Madden NFL 25 News Post

Madden Sales Down Significantly This Year

10:33 AM - September 6, 2013 by RaychelSnr

It appears, on the surface at least, fans are no longer happy with the Madden status quo.

EA Sports reported sales of just over 1 million copies of Madden in its first week on store shelves. While EA was touting the success of Madden NFL 25, those sales numbers are down significantly from last year's number of 1.65 million in the same time span, a nearly 40% drop in sales.

The obvious culprit does seem to be many gamers are holding out for next-gen Madden, which makes a lot of sense. However, with incentive programs to upgrade to the next-gen game around and being touted by EA, it also does seem a large chunk of consumers simply are tired of Madden's current form and waiting for something new.

This puts even more pressure on the next-gen product to deliver a new and unique experience to the series, as fans are likely looking for that with the new game. However, for a year at least, it is likely the next-gen version of Madden will be a huge seller when the new consoles hit store shelves in mid to late November.

Game: Madden NFL 25Reader Score: 5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PS3 / PS4 / Xbox 360 / Xbox OneVotes for game: 54 - View All

Madden NFL 25 Videos

Member Comments

# 121 24 @ 09/08/13 05:28 PM

I really think a Non Exclusive License will happen within the next 5 years. The NFL at the end of the day is all about making a profit. If this trend continues for Madden I think they will open it up for other companies to take a shot. I would love to see a Football game attempted by SECA. They've done wonders with baseball and their basketball series wasn't terrible. Would also enjoy seeing 2K enter the fold again. The more competition the better IMO. Madden would definitely step up their game if there were more people in the market.

At the end of the day we want a great football game. One that does mostly everything right. I believe Madden could take that step if they really wanted to. They have all the resources available to them, they just need to execute properly.

# 122 RandyBass @ 09/08/13 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 24


	I really think a Non Exclusive License will happen within the next 5 years. The NFL at the end of the day is all about making a profit. If this trend continues for Madden I think they will open it up for other companies to take a shot...

All I know is a lot of money is going to be headed TTWO's way very shortly, and I mean a lot, as much as we've ever seen in the history of gaming. The NFL is likely aware of this, and are probably licking their chops. What it all leads to remains to be seen, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see the landscape change in the next few years.

# 123 Valdarez @ 09/08/13 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rufio2031


	YESS!!!! Boycott, successful. Good job team!

Boycott? As in 8 years on the making??? lol

# 124 JaymeeAwesome @ 09/08/13 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 24


	I really think a Non Exclusive License will happen within the next 5 years. The NFL at the end of the day is all about making a profit. If this trend continues for Madden I think they will open it up for other companies to take a shot. I would love to see a Football game attempted by SECA. They've done wonders with baseball and their basketball series wasn't terrible. Would also enjoy seeing 2K enter the fold again. The more competition the better IMO. Madden would definitely step up their game if there were more people in the market. At the end of the day we want a great football game. One that does mostly everything right. I believe Madden could take that step if they really wanted to. They have all the resources available to them, they just need to execute properly.

The NFL only believes in exclusive deals. If not EA, it will be someone else. You have more control of your image with exclusivities, and that is the most important thing for the NFL. As long as EA can afford the exclusive deal, we will only see Madden.

# 125 DLaren @ 09/08/13 07:16 PM

Count me among the many thousands who are sitting on the sidelines until next-gen Madden debuts.

I told myself I was "Done!" with this generation of football, but I buckled under the summer heat of the gridiron and bought NCAA'14 to scratch my football itch.

Turns-out NCAA'14 is a pretty good game of football; so unless I see something amazing in the next month I'll be canceling my pre-order for Madden & the PS4 (yelp, I pre-ordered a whole system for -one- game...come get me, America).

# 126 bkrich83 @ 09/08/13 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyBass


	All I know is a lot of money is going to be headed TTWO's way very shortly, and I mean a lot, as much as we've ever seen in the history of gaming. The NFL is likely aware of this, and are probably licking their chops. What it all leads to remains to be seen, but it wouldn't surprise me at all to see the landscape change in the next few years.

TT has absolutely no interest nor are they in remotely in a position to make a new football game. Even if they were, at this point we wouldn't see it until 2015 at the earliest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBMcGee3


	Wow, seeing this headline makes me smile. Hopefully sales will decline enough for the NFL to reconsider giving EA an exclusive licensing deal. Death to monopolies!

Exclusive licensing is a staple of the NFL's business strategy. Unfortuntately it's not going anywhere. There is no monopoly here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Afrikan


	and of course Mestevo tags along..lol. look, with BackBreaker there were little things that most didn't even notice that made it realistic (especially compared to Madden), from having to focus on a receiver if you wanted to be more accurate...to also having to focus as a receiver, to be able to hold on to a ball if you were collided with. It wasn't easy pulling these moves off, and it shouldn't be. looking the coverage away as a QB, or just going through your progressions. for their very first football game, let alone their very first videogame...imo they did a pretty damn good job....especially compared to a football series that is in its 25th edition. the main things that stood out about BackBreaker that weren't not realistic, stamina and no left handed QBs. and before some think I'm just hating on Madden or whatever, I actually like what they have done since Madden 12 (but my expectations were pretty low to start with)...sure there are things that still frustrate me about the game, but I'm having fun playing online like 4-5 times a night... (with most people quitting by halftime..lol)

I know you were big on that game, but there was nothing realistic about it. It was built for one purpose, to sell their tech. Making a realistic football game was not the focus or a goal. Awful, awful game. I am lukewarm on Madden 25, but to try to compare Backbreaker even to Madden is laughable, imo.

# 127 RandyBass @ 09/08/13 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkrich83


	TT has absolutely no interest nor are they in remotely in a position to make a new football game. Even if they were, at this point we wouldn't see it until 2015 at the earliest.

Absolutely no interest? Why wouldn't they have interest in getting one of the biggest sports licensing deals out there? Not sure where you pulled that one from. They've shown interest in the past, and I highly doubt that interest has wavered in any way. Last time I checked the NFL was still going strong.

And let's see, 2015... 2015... Hey, waddya know! That's a few years from now, just like I said!

# 128 bkrich83 @ 09/08/13 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Afrikan


	but I guess I was just one of the few that didn't mind having more than one football game out...you know.. I would still be able to enjoy the fun aspects of Madden and still enjoy the sim (imo) aspects of BackBreaker. But it just seemed like others just felt like you can only like one series... Madden or nothing, and disregard that BackBreaker was a new and different football game....not giving the benefit of the doubt being their very first game ever.

The bolded parts are absolutely ridiculous. Did you really try to make that argument? Really?

People would have jumped on Backbreaker in no time, if it wasn't a terrible game and a terrible representation of football, that actually got worse post patch, and then was abandoned by the developer.

I know people have issues with EA, and they are clearly deserved, but the lengths people will go to, the things they will say is baffling

I mean really? It has nothing to do with only liking one series, if BB had made a game that was worth the DVD it was written on it might still be in production. Unfortunately it was created with being nothing more than a sales tool in mind.

# 129 bkrich83 @ 09/08/13 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyBass


	Absolutely no interest? Why wouldn't they have interest in getting one of the biggest sports licensing deals out there? Not sure where you pulled that one from. They've shown interest in the past, and I highly doubt that interest has wavered in any way. Last time I checked the NFL was still going strong. And let's see, 2015... 2015... Hey, waddya know! That's a few years from now, just like I said!

TT/2k has no interest, and not really the capability. It's that simple. If you want to believe in fairy tales, that's fine, but it's not happening. Or at least it's not even close to being on the radar.

# 130 SamoanSteelerFromAus @ 09/08/13 09:25 PM

I played madden 25 on ps3 and i thought it was really unimpressive so these numbers don't surprise me.
There is still that bug in there where your coach automatically challenges calls and you always lose a timeout cause it never gets overturned. How can something like that pass testing? It happened to me in 12 and 13.
Everything else is pretty below average but im someone who values gameplay over anything, i couldnt care less about how much i wanna charge for a hamburger...

NCAA is a better game.

# 131 Fist Of Kings @ 09/08/13 09:42 PM

I'm one of those people that didn't buy Madden 25, though I planned on buying it originally. But from reading the impressions thread, to watching ryanmoody's breakdown vids on youtube, and suffering through NCAA 14(which I haven't played in over a month), it's more of the same mediocrity and has the same problems with defense that NCAA 14 has.

I've actually dusted off my ps2 and spent my weekend updating my roster in Madden 05. I've only finished 2 teams so far lol. The game has shown it's age, but I've had more fun playing/watching the ai play in 2005 than trying to do the same thing in the newer EA football games.

# 132 Fist Of Kings @ 09/08/13 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pistolpete


	Madden hasn't changed in years. Connected careers was stupid and confusing and barely worked. That did me in.

Yeah, connected careers is a mode that no one asked for. Generic tweets, wonky trade logic, and for the second year in a row coaching schemes still not working properly. I've read comments from people complaining how player ratings are nearly cut in half because of this.

# 133 GisherJohn24 @ 09/08/13 10:10 PM

How many of you posting your hatred for this game line up for it every year at midnight?

# 134 Tsuki @ 09/08/13 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fist Of Kings


	I'm one of those people that didn't buy Madden 25, though I planned on buying it originally. But from reading the impressions thread, to watching ryanmoody's breakdown vids on youtube, and suffering through NCAA 14(which I haven't played in over a month), it's more of the same mediocrity and has the same problems with defense that NCAA 14 has. I've actually dusted off my ps2 and spent my weekend updating my roster in Madden 05. I've only finished 2 teams so far lol. The game has shown it's age, but I've had more fun playing/watching the ai play in 2005 than trying to do the same thing in the newer EA football games.

Just did this with my madden 07. Did not want to update rosters so I just simmed to the 2013 season with the Bears(not making any roster adjustments through sims) and started from there. Found some pretty good sliders that people posted way back from 09 and BAM best football game.

Planning on finding me a copy of NFL 2K5 and doing the same I compare both games figure out which one I like more and play that until either EA gets it together or another developer gets the license. There are options my friends use them!

# 135 SlimSlashie @ 09/08/13 11:12 PM

Does this mean the next one will be (even) more "arcade-y" or more "real football?"

Because when numbers of your biggest franchise drop that much, HUGE changes must be made...

# 136 maddenmaster @ 09/08/13 11:21 PM

Madden 12 was the best in my opinion

# 137 bkrich83 @ 09/09/13 12:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Afrikan


	the game sold 300,000 copies....from an unkown developer, unknown publisher, and it was a non-license title...that also had a bad demo to represent it. yet still sold 300,000 copies. funny that you say its a terrible representation of football yet people online take the time to post clips of how realistic it can be...and how using real football strategy can help you in the game.

Saying it's a terrible representation of football isn't even disputable.

Are you sure it was 300,000 for the full game? I'd like to see source for that info. Seems to me the numbers were closer to 30,000 copies.

Real football strategy in those videos? You're kidding right?

Are you really trying to argue that, backbreaker was a realistic rendition of football that got the principles of the game right? Really?

Don't make excuses for them abandoning the game.. There is no excuse for that.

# 138 bkrich83 @ 09/09/13 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Afrikan


	you keep saying the same thing... and you say that its not even disputable? I don't ever remember if you confirmed if you owned the game. I know another poster who was very vocal about criticizing the game who admitted that he didn't own it and borrowed it. anyway about the sales....I continue to provide examples and facts. Where as you are not. xbox360 sales - 160,000 http://www.vgchartz.com/game/42980/backbreaker/ PS3 sales - 150,000 http://www.vgchartz.com/game/42980/backbreaker/ and are YOU calling me out for making excuses for a football game?

Yes I owned the game. And if you remember I stuck with it for some time, we had many conversations about it.

Examples of what? How poor it was. You've been doing it for me with the video's you've posted. Just an awful game.

I called you out for making excuses for the developer, for abandoning the game. Which you clearly did. What game have I made excuses for?

I get you dislike EA and Madden, trust me I totally get it, but I am not going to call another bad game something it isn't just for the sake of sticking it to EA.

So, they sold 300,000 copies of the game, and still pulled up stakes and abandoned it? I think they realized it was going to be an uphill battle to save that game.

Tech Demo.

# 139 Dolphins88 @ 09/09/13 09:25 AM

Bottom line madden has to hand the game over to new developers that can make a game realistic to hard core gamers to get sales. I have not purchased a football game this gen. It's crazy how the 8 and 16 bit gens made more worthy games.

# 140 JohnnyRu31 @ 09/09/13 09:54 AM

EA should re-think their season ticket. Playing Madden for a couple of days before release has saved me $120 these last two years. Every year of this current gen I'd say I wouldn't buy the next one, only to cave in on release day. But being able to play the game for 3 days beforehand really helped me stay away.

« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 678 9 10 Next »

More Links

Madden Sales Down Significantly This Year